Life Support
by Gem6
Summary: Galex of course...Who else!


This one was inspired by Wombledon's epic One Anothers Shadow. I didn't want this uploaded yet but I know there is one person waiting for this

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Alex lay awake, she could hear Gene moving restlessly in the next room, she also knew that sooner or later he would come and see if she was awake.

They'd been into the station and had both given statements about the attack last night. She had kept a close eye on him as he'd retreated into a whisky bottle. He had been unusually quiet and the whole office had been worried about him.

Ray had taken Alex's statement and Chris & Shaz had done Gene's, she had asked Shaz to sit in and keep an eye on him for her. Chris has given Alex a copy of Gene's interview tape; it hadn't made pleasant listening although it had made her smile especially as Gene was maintaining she had saved his life.

"'lex you awake?" Her thoughts interrupted as Gene opened the door; she could see him illuminated by the soft glow of the hall light

"Yes I am, you okay?"

"Can I come in?"

"It's your house Gene; you can do what you like"

"This is your room" He growled, sounding more like his old self as he sat on the bed

"Are you okay?" She repeated her earlier question

"Can't sleep"

"Me neither"

"Keep thinking he's going to come back tonight" He admitted quietly

"Keane is safely locked up you know that, we checked before we left" _I held your hand as you peeked into his cell_ she thought

"I know we did, I just…" He paused

Alex squeezed his hand, knowing it was hard for him to talk about.

"I'm scared Alex" He finished barely audible

"Oh Gene, come here" She slid her arms round him pulling him to her. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?

"Please" He whispered brokenly, it was at that precise moment she felt her heart break for him.

Moving over she pulled the duvet round him, she was used to seeing him without a shirt on but she had to take a sneaky peek at the bulge in his boxers. She watched him as he lay down, curled on his side, the fear evident in his eyes.

There was nothing lion like about him now lying in the foetal position, his eyes void of the usual lust and spark haunted instead by fear and uncertainty.

"What on earth did he do to you Gene?" She sighed softly, fingers tracing the gunshot scar on his shoulder "S'okay, don't answer that, I listened to your interview tape"

"I'm sorry Alex" He spoke quietly, looking at her intently

"You've got nothing to be sorry for; I could have walked away at any time and left the boys to guard you"

"It's my fault you got hurt last night…." No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't say it

"I won't let you blame yourself, now try and get some sleep, promise me if you want me for anything at all just wake me up okay?"

A few hours later she was still awake as Gene slept quietly beside her, his arm around her waist. Sitting up she heard someone pounding on the door, gently removing his arm she slid out of bed and down the stairs.

"They're not here Ray" She heard Shaz say

"I'm here, what is it?" She wrenched open the door, letting them all in

"Got a problem Ma'm, your flats been turned over"

"What? How the hell?"

"Keane's escaped" Chris put in helpfully

"You have got to be shitting me, Ray; how the fuck did you let him get away?" Her voice rose with each word "Honestly, all the work you've put in to keep the Guv safe was for nothing obviously, pair of twats"

"What's all the bloody noise about? Who's a twat?" Gene appeared at the top of the stairs

"Great now you've woken him up" She spat

"It's your fault you were the one shouting" Ray shot back

"Oi! Bit o' respect for the lady"

"No, Ray's right I was the one shouting. Its okay Gene go back to bed" Shaz noticed the way she softened towards the Guv

"What's going on? Alex?" He looked from Ray to Alex

"Are you going to tell him or am I?" She looked at Ray & Chris "Bloody fairies" She turned to Gene, taking his hand she spoke quietly "Keane's escaped custody Gene, he's already trashed my flat" She watched him carefully, reading his eyes "Every officer is out looking for him, we're going to stay here until they find him"

"Ma'm" Shaz pointed towards the window, she had seen the same movement that Alex had seen over Gene's shoulder

Before they could do anything the shot had been fired, Gene lurched forward before falling back, legs buckling underneath

"Gene?" Alex was on her knees in an instant "Stay with us, get a fucking ambulance here now!" She almost screamed

She heard rather than saw Ray & Chris vanish outside; everything seemed to happen at once Gene's eyes began to close and his breathing slowed, the ambulance arrived and Chris and Ray appeared back in the room

"No you don't, come on you stupid bastard, don't bloody give up on us now!" She hissed, tears streaming down her face "Stupid stupid bastard" She cried pounding his chest

"Let the paramedics in Ma'm" Ray had to drag Alex away as she fought to stay beside him

"I'm afraid there is nothing more we can do" The paramedics stood up moving away from his prone form lying on the floor, eyes closed peacefully

"No!" Alex pulled away from Ray and made towards Gene

"I'm sorry Ma'm, he's gone" The young paramedic caught her arm

"Can I have a minute with him, _please?_" She said quietly

Dropping to her knees, she stroked his face gently "If you're going to give up this easily I want you to take one memory with you" Leaning over she sealed her lips against his _"I need you Gene, please don't give up now" _She spoke quietly. She sat up, looking at Chris who had Shaz in his arms and Ray who was trying desperately hard not to cry, what would become of the team if he died? "You won't get your wicked way with my bony arse if you give up now" She whispered in his ear. Standing up and making her way back to the paramedics "Can you just check one last time please?"

"There's a pulse, get him to hospital now"

The next few hours were a blur as Gene underwent surgery to remove the bullet, many people asked what she'd done to bring Gene back but she wouldn't reveal what she'd said to him, it was up him to tell them when he woke up.

She watched quietly through the window, face tear streaked and red as the nurses set him up on the bed and hooked all the equipment to him.

"Can I stay with him?" Alex looked at the nurse daring her to disagree

"Of course, the doctor will be in to talk to you all in a few minutes"

She sank into the nearest chair, shoulders slumped. She felt like she'd failed him, it had been her job to guard him, to keep him safe and she'd done just the opposite. If only she hadn't gotten angry at Ray, hadn't shouted, hadn't woken him up he'd still be okay, lying in bed asleep and it could have been her lying here on the bed.

Looking up she saw the doctor cross the room to Gene's right side;

"I'm the doctor in charge of Mr Hunt's recovery, you are?" She looked at Alex

"Alex Drake, Gene's…." She hesitated, Gene would never call her his girlfriend and his 'bird' didn't seem appropriate somehow.

"She's the Guv's partner" Ray supplied neatly "DS Carling, DC Skelton & WPC Granger, he's our boss and friend" Alex looked across at Ray surprised; she smiled gently at him, hoping he'd understand how grateful she was.

"Okay, well I've removed the bullet all in one piece thankfully but he is unconscious and unlikely to come out of it, at some point I think you will need to think about saying goodbye. If and it's a very big if, he wakes up he's likely to have extensive brain damage due to how long he was dead…" She was interrupted by Shaz hiccupping

Chris had his arm round her in an instant and Ray laid his hand on Alex's shoulder

"As I was saying, I don't know what you did to bring him back DI Drake but you haven't done him any favours if he does in fact wake up"

"Gene will wake up and he will be fine, you'll see" Alex said with more conviction than she felt

"Only time shall tell, I'll be back in the morning to check on him" Turning on her heel she marched out, Alex sank back into her chair, head in her hands

"He's not going to wake up is he Ma'm?" Shaz said quietly

"Of course he is, he's the Manc Lion, lions fight for their pride" She looked up at Shaz her face tear streaked.

Ray stood quietly listening and watching, he had no words as he watched how devastated Drake was over this, reflecting on the amount of time he'd known the Guv, he knew he'd never give up without a fight, he wanted to believe in her words, in her conviction that he'd be okay but deep down he was worried, he'd seen the Guv shot many times but he'd never had to be brought back by the paramedics.

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No beta so all mistake are mine, hopefully it's good enough :-)


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